They've got everything already!

[WithTheJonses]

I want to spend about £100 on a Christmas gift for my mum and dad.

What the fuck do you buy someone who has everything they need? They both earn well and get things as and when they want them

Last year I got them a new garden bench which they loved

Year before a hugeeeeeee canvas print of my DD and my niece which they also loved

What are you buying your parents? I'm struggling! I've asked and they just say not to spend my money on them. I want to buy them something lovely and thoughtful that they Will love

Garden cam/nest cam?

I tend to go with experiences, eg theatre or restaurant vouchers or a lovely big hamper full of upmarket goodies.

Hamper all the way!

Take them out for dinner (when thats allowed), or put together a really nice photo book?

Excellent ideas. Thank you all so much

They're not really in to nature so I don't think they'd enjoy the garden cam. I think I will do them a lovely hamper of posh goodies and tickets to something x

I've asked and they just say not to spend my money on them. I want to buy them something lovely and thoughtful that they Will love

It's not very thoughtful to ignore their request though, is it!

I neeeeeeed to spend money on something to show how much I love them so I'm sculling around for ideas for something they don't want me to do.

Agree that you should listen to them when they say they want nothing.

In the nicest possible way, you're making it about you. You're not being thoughtful, you're imposing something onto them that they have to make room for even if its not to their taste and they're too polite to be honest about whether or not they like it.

They'd probably be more happy with quality time with you. Maybe take them out for a meal when that is allowed? Maybe flowers, alcohol, chocolate or cheese etc if you must buy a physical item.

@FallonsTeaRoom

I've asked and they just say not to spend my money on them. I want to buy them something lovely and thoughtful that they Will love

It's not very thoughtful to ignore their request though, is it!

I neeeeeeed to spend money on something to show how much I love them so I'm sculling around for ideas for something they don't want me to do.

This is spot on.

They won't love it because they have specifically asked you not to do this

Yeah I think if they have everything they want, and they’ve asked you not to spend your money on them, then just leave it. It might feel a bit stingy to not get them anything but they’ve explicitly asked for nothing so it’s fine.

We take our parents out to dinner, both sets are very "we buy anything we want, immediately" so it's bloody hard. A nice family meal is best option for us.

A charity donation in someone's name is a present which can really go down well.

What about ordering them an afternoon tea hamper before Christmas, I can understand you would want to buy them something.

Just give them a hug and a poinsettia, and offer to wash up after Christmas dinner. I reckon that is all they want apart from your company .

Well my dh has just bought himself an inflatable canoe
That cost £100
He’s 67
Might be about your parents age

@ Medusa

I’d hate that.
So many charities just waste money.
I’d rather have some good quality chocolates and some nice flowers..and the company of my children

@FallonsTeaRoom

I've asked and they just say not to spend my money on them. I want to buy them something lovely and thoughtful that they Will love

It's not very thoughtful to ignore their request though, is it!

I neeeeeeed to spend money on something to show how much I love them so I'm sculling around for ideas for something they don't want me to do.

Agree. I ask my Mum EVERY FUCKING YEAR not to buy us (DH & I) a Christmas present). She has very little spare cash so I'd rather she bought something small for our DS and spent the rest on some treats for herself over the holidays. I have the same conversation every year and she always says 'I can't not buy you something. It's Christmas'. YES YOU FUCKING CAN.

My sister has exactly the same conversation with her every year and she won't bloody listen to her either. She's got this idea that gifts = love.

We're both comfortably well off and there's nothing we need.

Can you tell this really bothers me? So listen to them and take it on board.

In the past we've done:

Monthly fresh flowers for 3 or 6 months (local florist)
Theatre tokens
Cinema + Pizza Hut vouchers for an evening out
Homemade hamper where everyone contributed (could be themed)
Garden vouchers from their local garden centre

This year we're doing a case of wine. What about magazine subscriptions or monthly cheese/baking/bacon type thing?

Last year I bought wooden letters from Hobbycraft and made a framed 'scrabble' board with all the family names which they loved.

How about a gift voucher?

If they have asked you not to buy anything that please please please respect that. They don't want a hamper full of unwanted stuff!

Every year we say to everyone don't buy us anything.
Oh no we can't do that they say, you must have a gift
We get unwanted stuff that goes straight on eBay for charity, to the food bank on in the bin (personalised stuff)

Giving is about the receiver - not the giver
They have asked for nothing respect that

We can buy anything we want. We are trying to get rid of stuff
All of the people who try and buy for us are less well-off then we are. I would much rather they kept their money and spent it on themselves

What we do like is 1 small thing that we will love- for me it is a chocolate that costs less than £3.

I have to try really hard not to be frustrated and show some enthusiasm for the gifts but I hate it with a passion

Respect them and do what they ask- please.

@MedusasButterDish

A charity donation in someone's name is a present which can really go down well.

Not really- its isn't tax efficient If they give themselves the charity would get gift aid and they might also get tax relief which we then re-gift.

We have this with both sets of parents and often buy something from the Choose Love shop or buy Choose Love gift vouchers so they can go and choose something themselves

If they like their garden, how about a National Garden Voucher?

Or a rose bush called Mum in a Million and another called Special Dad

My mum has roses in her garden that all means something symbolic and thoughtful to her, she loves them.

In fact, this website has loads of different ones.
www.countrygardenroses.co.uk/shop/188-family-roses/

Just bought my mum a garden clock - one that swivels and is a clock on one side, thermometer on the other. Station style one.

Utterly frivolous item, but handy for the garden lover who has everything!